


Family Matters

by Warflower



Series: Cain´s modern murder mysteries [14]
Category: Cain Saga and Godchild
Genre: A regrettable shortage of Riff and Merry, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Cain POV, F/M, Gen, M/M, Murder Mystery, This story does not contain original characters, mentions of/implied arson/suicide/drugs/prostitution/human trafficing/incest/child abuse
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-19
Updated: 2018-01-19
Packaged: 2019-03-06 21:50:27
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,464
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13420341
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Warflower/pseuds/Warflower
Summary: Leland Russel is newly engaged.This is not a happy occasion.





	Family Matters

**Author's Note:**

> Once again I beat the writer´s block.  
> Enjoy!

Cain had never been much of a fan of family obligations. But having been the cause of the last, his birthday, he did not find himself in a position to refuse attending this one.

It was a Sunday late in March and the entirety of the Hargreaves family was invited over to meet Beatrice, the new fiancée of Cain´s uncle.

A second cousin of his father, Leland Russel was not as such a member of the Hargreaves family, however he seemed to have gotten enough of the Hargreaves´ blood to be haunted by the same bad luck that had followed Cain through half a dozen murder investigations.

The deaths of his wife and daughter attested to that.

-Frankly, it is a wonder that he even considers remarrying- Neil Hargreaves, disapproving as always, shook his head. They had parked the car around the corner and were now walking the last few meters to his uncles flat. 

-Why? – Asked Cain -Hasn´t it been quite a while since his wife died? –

-Seven years, indeed- Confirmed his uncle. 

-Then why are you so surprised? – 

His uncle gave him a dry smile. -Much like you, Leland has a reputation of being a ladies´ man. It is not his entanglement with another young woman that is surprising, but the fact that he considers settling down again. – 

-I think it is romantic- Merry piped up -Him finding true love after all. – She threw Cain a secretive smile.

After all Cain, too had recently settled down. 

Although Riff had stayed home for this particular trip, much had been done to incorporate him into family activities. No longer did Cain allow his uncle to relegate Riff to the servants table when the family dined, and although Neil Hargreaves had not outgrown his disapproval, it seemed he had finally given up displaying it. It was, at least, a step into the right direction.

 

Reaching the right building they rang the doorbell and were shortly invited up by a servant. 

Leland Russel awaited them in the solar. His once dark hair had lost all it´s colour after his daughter´s death, but he seemed to be less haggard than usual. 

-Neil- He greeted, -Cain, Merry-Weather – He shook their hands in turn and tipped his head at Merry. -I am glad you could come. –

-We certainly wouldn´t miss it- Neil assured him.

Smiling, Cain inquired -I hear congratulations are in order? – 

-They are- Leland nodded. 

-You are most fortunate then, as is your wife-to-be. – Cain glanced around. -Will we be joined by the lady in question? – 

Leland´s smile was genuine -Beatrice will be joining us shortly. – 

-We are looking forward to meeting her. - Neil was, as usual, the very picture of politeness.

-Can you tell us something about her? – Merry asked -How did you meet? – 

Their uncle laughed. -Of course, I can tell you about her. –

Merry beamed, she was very perceptive to he happiness of others and as such she adored a good love-story.

Unfortunately, she would have to wait for this one, as this was when the door to the solar swung open and a young woman strolled in. 

She was barely older than Cain, with curly blond hair and dressed in all of the newest designer clothes. Apparently, Leland Russel enjoyed spoiling his newest conquest. 

Cain frowned, so did Merry. Only uncle Neil did not seem surprised.

-You must be Beatrice. – He offered a firm handshake. -I am pleased to finally meet you. –

-So am I- she smiled and then turned to shake Cain and Merry´s hands in turn. There was a heart-shaped scar on her right hand, Cain noticed.

He suppressed the desire to ask for her age. If she was twenty, Cain would be surprised. 

 

Although Beatrice turned out to be pleasant enough, there was something about her that kept bothering Cain. 

It wasn´t her age. Or at least her age was only part of his unease. 

Yet, he was reluctant to articulate what he felt. 

-I met the Russel´s when I was younger, didn´t I? – He asked his uncle. 

They were back at the townhouse, the men were recovering with some coffee in the drawing room, while Merry had soon retreated upstairs. In Cain´s case the coffee was slightly spiked.

-I think so- Neil replied -But I can´t say for sure. –

-I´m fairly certain. – Cain settled his cup on the side table. He glanced at where Riff was sitting beside him, but for once Riff couldn´t help him, this was before Riff´s time. 

-I think my father took me to see them after Mrs. Russel died. Although, I think that there was a lady of the house, but then again, I was hardly lucid at the time, so my memory is patchy. – He felt Riff stiffen beside him. Cain knocked their shoulders together to reassure him.

But while Cain´s memory was not the best, Neil did remember. -Yes, - he said -It was quite a scandal, back in the day. –

Cain quirked an eyebrow, asking him to elaborate.

His uncle did -Almost the second Mrs. Russel was dead, good old Leland moved his mistress into his house, she brought a daughter with her that was just about Maddie´s age. For all I know, she might have even been Leland´s- 

-They were together before the death of his wife? – Cain was mildly amused. 

Neil nodded, face grave and moustache bristling -While his wife was slowly dying from cancer, Leland found himself a second family. Things with his mistress ended after Maddie died. He never settled down again. –

-Until now. – Cain stated. 

-Until now. I take it you understand my surprise, now. –

Cain only threw him a smile -It all sounds familiar, - he paused, then added -and yet I have next to no recollection of it. –

Riff´s arm had sneaked it´s way around Cain´s waist and was now pulling him close in comfort.

-I´m okay. – Cain assured him.

-I think we still have pictures from that time. - His uncle offered -If that would help-

-It probably would- Cain heard the benevolent smile in Riff´s voice. At least where Cain´s wellbeing was concerned Riff and Neil were quick to forget their differences. 

Neil retreated upstairs to his study to rummage for old photographs. 

Riff stroked his hair. -Was it bad, then? - His voice was soft.

Cain closed his eyes, feeling Riff´s warmth -It was about that time things started to get really bad. Sometimes I was too weak to leave my bed for days. – 

-He was already giving you arsenic, then? –

Cain shook his head -I don´t think so. Small doses over a long time would have helped me develop a resistance, he was probably giving me something else. –

-I´m sorry. – 

Riff was always sorry, sorry that he hadn´t found Cain sooner, sorry that he hadn´t been able to become his official guardian, sorry that Cain couldn´t attend school or make good friends while hiding with him, while it was utterly ineffectual there was a comfort in its stability.

Before long Cain had to disentangle himself from Riff´s arms, because his uncle returned, armed with photographs. 

-Here, - he handed the biggest to Cain.

 

The picture showed the Russel family, how it had been after the death of Mrs. Russel, but before Maddie´s. 

Leland Russel stood behind his daughter, smiling as he had placed his hands on Maddie´s shoulders, his hair was still dark. 

Next to him stood his Mistress, a tall woman with dark curls. She looked imperious and was dressed in what was probably the height of fashion, back then. Still, her earrings were silver, not pearl and diamonds, those were reserved for Maddie. 

The latter, too was smiling. Her golden blond curls fell over her shoulders down to her waist and she was radiating an enormous amount of confidence for a twelve-year-old girl. Why shouldn´t she, her father had bedecked her in gold and jewels and god knows only what else. The fine heart-shaped pendant of wrought silver around her neck was probably the cheapest thing she was wearing.

Cain couldn´t help but stare, she looked just like Beatrice. 

The picture was seven years old, Maddie would be nineteen today, but then again, Maddie was dead, and there were a lot of blond curly-haired girls resembling her, the girl to her right for example was just as likely to have grown into Beatrice´s features as Maddie had been.

Bibi wasn´t smiling, she was the only one. Her clothing was cheap but for her cardigan which was slightly too short, probably a cast off from Maddie.

Cain vaguely recalled disliking her. 

She had been so jealous of how Maddie was doted upon by her father, of how Cain had been doted upon by Alexis, what a stupidly naïve girl she had been.

The rest of the pictures showed more of the same and while by the end Cain could place the source of his discomfort, he resolved to inquire into Beatrice´s background, anyway.

 

When Cain dropped by the next afternoon, Leland Russel was less than pleased.

-What do you want? – he asked. I seemed that Cain was not the only one who preferred avoiding his family. 

Given that he didn´t have any believable excuse for his visit Cain got straight to the point -I have a couple of question concerning Beatrice, if you don´t mind answering them? –

His uncle did seem to mind, but before he could say so Cain pressed on -Merry was so curious about how you and Beatrice met, I thought I should better ask you, you wouldn´t want her to get her story from less reliable sources. –

The sources in question were of course the inexhaustible gossip of London´s one percent, which was ripe with theories concerning Beatrice´s background. The one about her being an east European mail-order bride was still among the most harmless.

Being put on the spot like that Leland cleared his throat. -We met at a party. - He said, obviously not wanting to elaborate.

Smirking Cain sized him up. He knew from uncle Neil that Leland had the reputation of a party animal, but with Neil´s prudish attitude that might mean nothing.

-What kind of party? – He asked, continuing his interrogation.

Leland sighed, annoyed -One of Alexis´ parties, - Cain felt the blood drain from his face and cold shivers running down his spine as he stared at his uncle in shock. Leland did not seem to notice, as he continued unbothered. -I assume you´ve attended enough of them to know what kind of parties they are. –

Only when Cain failed to answer did he realise that something was off. 

-Cain? – He asked -Is everything okay? –

Everything was not okay, in fact everything was very much wrong. Alexis Hargreaves was dead, had been dead for close to six years. There was no possible way for Alexis not to be dead, which meant it was impossible for him to throw any parties, Cain had made sure of that. 

Pulling himself back together Cain forced himself to once again address his uncle -So you met Beatrice at one of my father´s parties. I assume he was not attending. –

-He wasn´t.- his uncle confirmed -He only sent out the invitations, as usual. –

Cain almost breathed a sigh of relief. Alexis was dead. Somebody was organizing parties under his name. An impersonator, that Cain could handle. 

The only question was who was the impersonator, and did they know what had happened to the real Alexis.

Well, thought Cain, there´s only one way to find out. -I´m sorry to disappoint you, uncle, but I´ve never had the pleasure of attending any of my father´s parties. A fact I would like to remedy as soon as possible. –

His uncle studied him carefully. 

Cain put on his most winning of smiles -Why don´t you take me along to the next one, uncle dearest? I so love a good party. – 

His uncle was not at all inclined towards his request, but in the end Cain´s remarkable stubbornness won out. He would accompany Leland Russel to the next of the alleged Alexis´ parties.

 

He was lucky. Barely a week went by before Leland was forced to make good on his promise. 

Dressed sharply in black and cream Cain made his way to the back-alley near Mornington Crescent where he was supposed to meet his uncle. 

He was alone, Riff had wanted to come along, as usual, as had Oscar. But in the end, there was just one plus-one on Leland´s invitation. 

His uncle awaited Cain next a broad stairway leading down into a basement. He looked uncomfortable, and if Cain was not completely mistaken, a little ashamed. 

-Shall we? – Cain asked. 

Reluctantly, Leland Russel followed him down the stairs.

Inside the light was tinted with rose and gold, catching on the smoke filling the air. Cain could smell tobacco, weed and something else. Opium, maybe.

The bare whitened walls had been covered in lush hangings and the tiled floor was layered with oriental rugs. Those are bad for dancing, Cain thought, and indeed, the only ones dancing where the scantily clad girls on the tables along the back-wall.

Barely anybody was paying them any attention though, most of the guests were standing in groups, drinking and talking amongst themselves or lounging in one of the settees, empty-eyed young women pressed to their sides. 

Cain looked back at his uncle who stood stiffly as if awaiting judgement. Cain´s smile widened. 

-Go on- he said. -I´ll get myself a drink. – 

Moving through the crowds, Cain scanned for any familiar faces. There were quite a few, mostly businessmen and minor nobles, none of them closer acquainted with Cain or his family, as far as he knew at least. 

The most notable of the party´s attendees was probably Lord Cassandra Gladstone, who was standing on a small dais, smoking a cigar. A boy in a cheap suit lay passed out on his shoulder, but it was the woman beside him that made Cain catch his breath. 

There, tied up in an elegant corsage dress, black curls spilling down her shoulder was his uncle´s former mistress. 

Somebody stumbled into Cain´s side and sent him sprawling onto the floor. Champagne and other spirits spilled across Cain and the carpet, he cursed.

-Fuck, - the girl said, she was too young to be classified as a woman, Cain´s age, hopefully not younger. -I am so sorry. –

-It´s okay- Cain assured her -Nothing happened. –

She was wearing a short dress, the cut was elegant, but the fabric was cheap. Cain assumed that the distribution of drinks was not the only service she offered.

Kneeling on the floor still, he helped her to gather the shards of the broken glasses, she was muttering apologies all the while.

-Can I ask you a question? – Cain inquired. 

She looked at him like a deer in the headlights.

-Who is the woman next to Lord Gladstone? – With a flick of his head he indicated just who he meant. 

Her eyes looked down at her knees. 

-Lady Delilah is the hostess of this evening. – She whispered. 

As there was no immediate connection between his late father and his uncle´s former mistress this surprised Cain a great deal. He had not expected to find his imposter so soon.

He pressed further -Does Lady Delilah host all of these celebrations? – 

The girl nodded, still not meeting Cain´s eyes -She is involved in all of these celebrations, but she is not always Lady Delilah. –

Cain frowned. It seemed Lady Delilah was a title, not a person. Which unfortunately meant that it was most likely not this Lady Delilah who was impersonating Alexis.

-But she is always involved. –

-She takes care of the girls. Keeps us in line. – The waitress explained. 

-What about her daughter? – Cain asked -What about Bibi? –

Now she did look at him, her eyes filled with panic.

-How do you know Bibi? –

-I knew her as a child- Cain tried to calm her, get her to continue talking -I´m would like to know how she is doing. –

She nodded, sufficiently calmed. -Bibi worked here, too. –

-Past tense? – Cain quirked an eyebrow. 

-She hated it. - The girl supplied -She stopped working when she met that guy. –

-Leland Russel? – Cain assumed. Of course, Bibi was short for Beatrice.

The look she gave him told Cain everything he needed to know.

 

The morning after the party Cain lined out what he had gathered so far.

Leland Russel´s fiancée Beatrice was the same person as his former step-daughter Bibi. 

This was certainly suspicious, even if there was no blood relation. And there was no relation, of that Cain was certain: Bibi was blond while her mother was dark haired, most likely she had inherited her light hair from her father.

Maybe she wanted revenge? She had reason enough to despise Leland Russel. 

Even if she had not been the doted upon favourite, her and her mother had lived in a big house with enough money to go around. But after Bibi had been made responsible for the fire after which Maddie had killed herself they had had nowhere to go. 

The fact that Bibi ended up being a prostitute, a profession she reportedly hated, only proved that. So why not scam the man responsible for her plight.

Idly Cain wondered if Bibi was acting alone, or if she was acting on her mother´s behalf. 

Well, there was only one way to find out.

 

As Leland Russel was reluctant to let Cain and Beatrice talk in private, Cain offered that the two them could take a trip to Harrods, since the obvious solution to his uncle´s fear of losing Beatrice to someone her own age was only talking to her in a public space. But still he objected, eventually they were saved by a phone call from what was probably one of Leland´s business associates. 

-So, why did you want to talk to me? – Bibi asked as they were strolling through the clothes section, now and then she inspected an item but so far nothing had really caught her eye.

-I know how you happened to meet my uncle. – Cain began.

She nodded -So I heard. –

-You were called Bibi while working. –

-I was- She confirmed, hesitant, she was probably trying to figure out Cain´s motives for their little outing.

-And you didn´t know him before the party, not even in your childhood. Are you certain? – 

She frowned. -I am as certain as I am about anything. – 

-What do you mean? – Cain pressed.

Now Beatrice seemed to shrink back into herself -I can´t recall most of my childhood. – She said -It´s the truth. You must believe me. –

-I do. – Cain assured her. When she looked at him doubtfully Cain elaborated -It´s not that uncommon, I have it too, in part. –

That got her to relax. -I can´t recall anything before I was twelve, we where already living in the brothel back then. –

Cain nodded, for a lack of better options he believed her. 

-And what about your mother? – He asked -What does she think about your relationship with my uncle? – 

Now Beatrice smiled -She approves. Mother is so happy for me, I was worrying for nothing. – 

-But you were worrying? – 

-I was- She confirmed -Mother was always going on how important it was for me to make my self useful and earn some money. When I stop working to move out and marry, she won´t be able to afford the rent. –

-Couldn´t you have gotten some other job? – Cain wondered.

-Unlikely- Her tone was indulgent -I never finished school, so my options were limited, and we were already living in a brothel. Mom said I might as well just start working there. –

Cain nodded, it seemed that money was all Bibi´s mother cared about, making her daughter earn money as a prostitute and turn her into a rich man´s wife as soon as the option presented itself. But why choose Leland Russel, if not for some nefarious revenge. 

-Oh, look at this- Beatrice exclaimed. They had now left the clothing section and made their way to the jewellery, Bibi was pointing at a heart shaped silver pendant. -I could swear I had one of these as a kid. –

Cain eyed her carefully -You did? – 

-Maybe, - she shrugged, picking it up -I´m not sure but I think I had a pendant like this. –

The way it lay in her palm it covered her scar almost perfectly. 

Thinking back to the pendant Maddie was wearing in the family picture, Cain swallowed uncomfortably. -I think you should go back home to my uncle. –

 

He asked her for the location of the Brothel she grew up in before he left her at the entrance of Harrods, not wasting any time accompanying her home.

Before entering the underground he called Landor, telling him everything he needed to know and instructing him to come arrest Beatrice mother. 

That there was a brothel near Leicester Square Cain had not known, but then again, he had never needed to pay for sex. 

A short trip on the Piccadilly line later and Cain found himself in the entrance room of the establishment in question. If not for the clouds of incense swirling around it looked, in his honest opinion, not that different from your average cheap bar. 

And just like in the cheap bars Cain had visited, there was a lull in customers during the day, so most of the sitting area was occupied by bored looking girls, and the occasional boy chatting the day away. Most of them seemed to be around twenty, but some were much younger. 

In fact, Leland´s Russel´s former mistress was by far the oldest person in the room. She was sitting at the source of the incense, a small table in the corner, next to which a sign advertised her services as a hypnotist. 

Cain stomach clenched, it reminded him painfully of Meredianna. 

Not allowing himself to dwell on his grief, Cain plopped down onto the chair in front of her. 

-Good afternoon. – He said.

Her smile never wavered as she sized him up -Do I know you? – 

Cain smiled, two could play this game. -We´ve met. Once or twice. My name is Cain Hargreaves. – 

-Alexis´ boy? – She asked.

-The very same. – 

-Then tell me Cain Hargreaves, what can I do for you? - 

Cain shrugged -You could start with telling me your intentions in regard to my uncle´s relationship to Maddie. – He paused. -And while you are at it, you might as well tell me, why you abducted Maddie in the first place. – 

Across from him the woman straightened her back. -I took her- she explained -because she killed Bibi. –

-Bibi committed suicide. – Cain threw in.

-Because she was accused of something Maddie had done! – 

Cain nodded -The fire. –

-Yes, the fire. – 

-So, what are you going to do about her relationship with my uncle. Are you trying to hurt her further by tricking her into sleeping with her own father? How sick is that? – 

The thought did not seem to perturb her. -At first, I thought, let her kill him. But then she met him and fell in love with him, stupid thing that she is. Honestly, this is much better, they are destroying themselves all on their own, and I only have to tell them. Wouldn´t it be poetic, her taking her own life like Bibi did? – 

She shrugged and smiled, like a cat that got the cream, Cain thought.

The door opened, and Landor stepped in, he was wearing a bulletproof vest and a look of fierce determination.

-It´s not going to work. – Cain told her, turning to greet the new arrival. -You´re too late. They will never know. –

She laughed as she rose and turned, allowing Landor to put her in handcuffs. -It is you who is too late, - she said -I called him hours ago. – 

She did not say another word and did not resist as Landor led her away.

 

In his uncle´s apartment, Cain was greeted by a picture of horror. 

Leland Russel had shot himself in the head, blood and brain-matter pooling on the expensive floorboards. Clutched in his fist he held a pendant of silver. 

The same pendant that Maddie had tried to pull out of the fire which should ruin her life. 

But while Leland was already turning cold, Maddie herself hat not been as lucky, trying to follow her fiancé, she had shot herself, unsuccessfully, as she was still alive. Shaking she lay in a pool of her blood, fully conscious while she was slowly bleeding out. 

-Maddie- Cain fell to his knees beside her.

She was crying, big tears rolling down he cheeks and into her hair. -I didn´t care. – She croaked -I loved him. I don´t understand…I would have married him anyway. –

Carefully Cain pried the gun from her fingers, he understood, that for her, everything was better that going back to live with her mother. 

He stroked her hair from her forehead. -I know- he told her. Then he fired the gun. 

 

-At least they closed down the brothel- Cain declared as he studied the newspaper over breakfast -Apparently several of the workers had been underage, and even more had been illegally trafficked over half of Europe. – 

Neil snorted in disgust. Cain silently agreed. 

-Anything else that is interesting? – he asked Merry who studied the rest of the newspaper. 

-Someone was killed last night. – She said, this did not seem to distress her, Cain wondered if this was what he got for not being a better brother. Then she specified -In prison. – 

Cain made a go on-gesture.

-A woman. Somebody stabbed her with a scalpel. Her. – She handed the page to Cain.

A picture of his late uncle´s mistress was looking at him. He swallowed. -I´m assuming there´s no trace of her killer? – 

-None- Merry confirmed. 

Riff too regarded the picture, leaning over Cain´s shoulder to do so. -Well, - he said -it seems she had some powerful enemies. –

-More like former allies. – Cain snorted -The parties, the brothel, - the person impersonating Alexis, -it all looks very much like organised crime to me. –

-Please tell me you´re not going to take on some sort of cartel. – Riff sounded resigned already.

Merry giggled and Cain couldn´t help but grin -Why not? –


End file.
